- Matching (Score) |
- Our verdict |
- Competing TVs |
- TV appearance |
- Where to buy |
- Contrast and black detail |
- HDR effect quality |
- Factory color reproduction |
- Color reproduction after calibration |
- Smoothness of tonal transitions |
- Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions |
- Blur and motion smoothness |
- Console compatibility and gaming features |
- Input lag |
- Compatibility with PC |
- Viewing angles |
- Daytime performance |
- TV features |
- Apps |
- Playing files from USB |
- Sound |
- Panel details
Panel type: LCD VA Refresh rate: 144Hz Brand: TCL Resolution: 3840x2160 System: Google TV Model year: 2026
This review is an English translation of the Polish original. Read the original on Wybierz.tv.
This year TCL is expanding its Mini LED TV range in two ways, introducing RGB Mini LED and SQD-Mini LED technologies in parallel at similar product tiers. The result is the TCL RM7L, the counterpart to the C7L series, which uses RGB backlighting instead of the standard quantum-dot solution. That raises the question: which approach works better and which should the customer choose? We'll try to find the answer.
TCL RM7L - Our verdict
7.8
Overall rating
TCL RM7L is a TV that can’t be judged fairly by numbers and measurement charts alone. Although it’s not uncompromising, it more than holds its own in everyday use. It delivers a bright, dynamic and saturated picture, so it’s great for HDR content, games and fast-paced movies. The RM7L doesn’t chase perfect "reference-grade" accuracy. Instead it serves up an image that’s simply pleasing to the eye. It’s also hard to fault in daily use. Google TV runs smoothly and provides access to a full suite of apps, and a rich set of features for gamers means the TV performs as well connected to a console or PC as it does during an evening on the couch. It’s a versatile piece of kit that will suit most home uses. What’s most interesting is TCL’s approach to backlighting. Rather than chasing numbers and inflating local dimming zones like the C7L, they’ve gone with RGB Mini-LED technology. The result is genuinely intriguing. Although black levels and contrast are very good, in the toughest scenes, with bright objects on a dark background, halo can be slightly more noticeable than on its stablemate. Interestingly, the bloom takes on the colour of the displayed element, so it looks much more natural and doesn’t draw the eye away from the viewing experience as much as it does on classic Mini-LED screens. And that’s the dilemma. Put the RM7L next to the TCL C7L and it’s hard to deliver a clear, objective verdict. Both models cost almost the same but represent two completely different backlight design philosophies. The C7L wins on dimming precision thanks to a larger number of zones, while the RM7L makes up for it with the unique, very eye-pleasing character of its RGB panel. Until recently the choice boiled down to a simple calculation of zones; today, as TCL shows, the picture is much more interesting. If we had to pick between the two, we’d lean slightly toward the C7L for its higher number of zones and equally impressive, saturated colours, but the final choice always depends on what an individual expects from their TV.
Advantages
Very high HDR and SDR brightness
Good blacks and contrast (VA panel + mini-LED)
Impressive picture
Full support for HDR formats, including Dolby Vision and HDR10+
Extensive gaming features (VRR, ALLM, HGiG)
Good motion clarity with low smearing (up to 288Hz)
Google TV operating system (many apps, Gemini voice assistant)
Disadvantages
Poor digital image processing due to the use of the older MediaTek Pentonic 700 processor
Glossy screen coating does a poor job of reducing reflections
Only two HDMI 2.1 ports
Less stable colours, dependent on the dimming algorithm (a characteristic of RGB panels)
Movies and series in UHD quality7.4
Classic TV, YouTube7.1
Sports broadcasts (TV and apps)6.9
Gaming on console8.8
TV as a computer monitor8.4
Watching in bright light7.8
Utility functions7.8
Apps9.6
Sound quality7.8
Complete the survey to find out what fits your preferences
TCL RM7L - Competing TVs in this price range
TCL RM7L - TV appearance
HDMI inputs: 2 x HDMI 2.0, 2 x HDMI 2.1 (48Gbps) Outputs: Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI) Network Interfaces: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
Build quality: Good
Stand type: Central
Bezel color: Graphite
Stand: Height adjustment
Flat design: No
Accessories: Stand
The RM7L heavily builds on the chassis of the C7 series that we saw last year. To be honest, in terms of looks the RM7L is almost a copy of the C7L TV and uses the same design. As a result you get the same narrow bezels, the same central stand and the same relatively slim profile, a design that fits into almost any interior.
The only difference that might stand out is the badges used. First, instead of the side "Premium SQD Mini-LED" badge, the model is labelled RGB, which is perfectly understandable. A bigger change is the audio branding. Instead of the Bang & Olufsen speaker signature used in the C and X series, the RM7L carries a sign that the brand collaborated with... Onkyo. This is a company TCL has worked with before and that also belongs to the premium audio world.
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TCL RM7L - Contrast and black detail
7.7/10
Local dimming function: Yes, number of zones: 448 (16 x 28)
Result
258,450:1
Result
41,400:1
Result
18,800:1
Result
15,650:1
Result
8,350:1
Black performance on the TCL RM7L is really good. The combination of a high-contrast VA panel with a zone-based RGB Mini-LED backlight allows the TV to achieve very high contrast figures. In most of the scenes we measured, the results were good enough that dark parts of the image looked deep and convincing. The RM7L performs best in less demanding shots where black occupies a large portion of the screen and bright elements are relatively small. In such conditions contrast can reach six-figure values. As scene complexity increases, results gradually fall off, but that is a natural characteristic of any LCD TV using local dimming.
However, the RM7L has noticeably fewer zones than its counterpart using an SQD Mini-LED backlight. In the 65-inch version the difference is more than twofold, so you more often see more pronounced blooming around bright elements on a dark background. In terms of pure dimming precision, the RM7L is therefore not as accurate as the C7L. RGB Mini-LED has its own advantage here though. The bloom is not simply white, it takes on the color of the displayed element. A good example is the helicopter cockpit scene from Sicario 2, where a greenish bloom appears around the green lights instead of the typical bright halo known from conventional Mini-LED TVs. The halo effect is still visible, but because its color matches the image it is less distracting and looks more natural.
Ultimately we rate the RM7L and C7L similarly for black-level performance. The C7L controls the backlight better thanks to a larger number of zones, while the RM7L makes up for it with the character of its bloom. The bloom is somewhat larger, but its color blends better with the displayed image.
NOTE: Naturally, as the TV size increases the number of zones grows, yet we expect similar contrast results across RM7L sizes. It’s also worth adding that TCL lists the number of "color zones" in its product brochures, not the actual dimming zones. Since each color zone consists of three RGB channels, the advertised number should be divided by three. Therefore 1,344 color zones in the 65-inch unit we tested mean 448 actual dimming zones.
Size | Dimming zones (actual) | Color zones |
|---|---|---|
65" | 448 | 1344 |
75" | 600 | 1800 |
85" | 720 | 2160 |
98" | 960 | 2880 |
Halo effect and black detail visibility:
TCL RM7L - HDR effect quality
6.6/10
Supported formats: HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ, HLG
Luminance measurements in HDR:
Result
914 nit
Result
538 nit
Result
653 nit
Result
494 nit
Result
1413 nit
TCL RM7L is a bright TV. In our measurements its peak brightness hovered around 1600 nits. That’s noticeably less than the C7L, which can get close to 2600 nits, but in real-world film scenes the difference between the models isn’t that large. In less demanding shots, where plenty of bright elements appear on screen, the RM7L can sustain around 1000 nits, and sometimes even a bit more, approaching 1500 nits. It performs worse in dark scenes with small points of light; then their brightness can fall to about 500 nits. This behaviour isn’t random. The TV deliberately dims small elements to better control the backlight and preserve higher contrast. This comes at the expense of their intensity, but it’s typical for TVs with local dimming in a similar price range.
Colour gamut coverage
In HDR brightness isn’t the only thing that matters, colour does too. Here the RM7L has a lot to show. Colours are strongly saturated and the wide colour gamut is one of its main strengths. In our measurements it reached about 96% of DCI-P3 and around 83% of BT.2020. It’s worth remembering, though, that on a TV with this kind of backlight the result can vary depending on the scene. On test patterns colours look best, while in films their saturation can be a little lower than on SQD Mini LED or QD-OLED TVs. The backlight design itself is interesting. The RM7L doesn’t use the classic red, green and blue LED set. TCL used two green LEDs and one blue, with red produced via a PFS phosphor. You can see this in spectrometer measurements, but it doesn’t have a major impact on the picture. Colours are still rendered correctly.
BT.2020 color gamut coverage and primary color luminance
| Data set | BT.2020 | P3 | R | G | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Synthetic patterns | 86.7% | 97.2% | 56% | 48% | 41% |
| Film measurements | 83.8% | 96.2% | 68% | 60% | 71% |
BT.2020
BT.2020 and P3 – average color gamut coverage (percent of the target gamut).
R, G, B – average primary color luminance relative to target (percent).
Scene from the movie “Pan” (about 2800 nits)
Scene from the movie “Billy Lynn” (about 1100 nits)
Measurements are of course important, but they don't fully convey what it's like to watch something on the RM7L. That's why we also checked how this TV handles everyday scenes. For the most part the picture looks really good. Colours are vivid, the overall image has plenty of energy, yet it doesn't stray far from how the material should look. In brighter, less demanding shots the TV is very convincing. It shows good detail in clouds, highlights and bright parts of the background, although in places you can notice the image is slightly boosted. The same goes for the shadows: darker elements are sometimes lifted a little, and in the brightest areas it can lose a bit of detail. These aren't major faults. Overall the picture's fidelity to the director's vision is good, and for most of a viewing the RM7L simply looks attractive.
HDR luminance chart:
To, jak RM7L pokazuje HDR, w dużej mierze zależy od użytego formatu. Najlepiej telewizor radzi sobie z Dolby Vision. Dzięki dynamicznym metadanym dostaje więcej informacji o jasności każdej sceny i może dokładniej dopasować obraz do swoich możliwości. Różnicę dobrze widać w porównaniu ze zwykłym HDR10. W tym formacie RM7L sam musi zdecydować, jak rozłożyć jasność, przez co częściej gubi część detali w najjaśniejszych fragmentach obrazu. Dolby Vision wypada pod tym względem wyraźnie lepiej i pozwala wyciągnąć z telewizora więcej. Dla użytkownika to dobra wiadomość, bo właśnie Dolby Vision oraz podobne HDR10+ są dziś szeroko wykorzystywane przez platformy streamingowe, a RM7L wspiera obydwa te formaty.
Static HDR10
Dynamic: Dolby Vision
Factory color reproduction
5.8/10
Factory colours were checked in Filmmaker Mode, the best picture setting available to the user. TCL has been using it in its TVs for two years, and its purpose is to reproduce the image as faithfully as possible to the filmmakers' intent. On the RM7L it was indeed the best calibrated mode, though not without faults. The biggest issue was the white balance. An excess of red and blue made the image shift slightly toward pink tones. This was visible in both SDR and HDR. In addition, the brightness response was slightly boosted, so the picture looked a little brighter but at the same time less contrasty than it should.
Color reproduction after calibration
8/10
Thanks to a fairly extensive calibration menu we managed to correct the vast majority of the issues described earlier. The biggest change was the white balance. After calibration it looks very good, so the image has lost its pinkish tint and become much more neutral. The luminance response has also improved. Both the SDR gamma and the HDR EOTF curve are now much closer to the reference values. The picture is no longer unnecessarily bright, and darker parts look more natural and have greater depth. Better luminance accuracy has also affected the colours, which after calibration are noticeably more accurate. Not everything could be set perfectly though. In HDR material the RM7L still interprets part of the signal in its own way and doesn’t always stick exactly to the reference curve. You can see this mainly in some darker scenes, where the TV can either slightly lift the shadows or darken them completely. That’s where the earlier impression of a slightly brightened, less contrasty image came from. Even so, the calibration delivers a very good result here. It removes the most visible errors and, above all, makes the picture much closer to how it should look.
TCL RM7L - Smoothness of tonal transitions
8.9/10
The RM7L handles tonal transitions very well. In both bright and dark scenes the gradients are smooth and there’s no noticeable colour banding. Minor issues only appear with exceptionally demanding material, such as our fourth test pattern with red water fading into black. It’s worth noting, however, that most TVs struggle to reproduce that scene perfectly. In everyday use this shouldn’t be a major problem.
Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions
5.5/10
Smooth transition function
Image without overscan on the SD signal
Upscaling and digital image processing are not the RM7L’s strong points. TCL has used a MediaTek Pentonic 700 chipset here, labelled MT5896, which isn’t among the best processors at handling lower-quality sources. The biggest issues appear with heavily compressed content from YouTube or regular broadcast TV. The processor can’t effectively hide posterisation and the characteristic banding between shades. The feature meant to smooth these issues does little to help and can also interfere with the picture too much, smoothing faces and fine textures, for example. For that reason it’s best not to use it.
Plain upscaling to 4K looks better. Lower-quality sources are reasonably sharp and retain a sufficient amount of detail. It’s not on a par with the best processors on the market, but for everyday viewing the result is perfectly acceptable.
TCL RM7L - Blur and motion smoothness
7.8/10
Maximum refresh rate of the panel: 144Hz
Film motion smoothing option: Yes
Blur reduction option: Yes
BFI function 60Hz: Yes, 120Hz (double contours)
BFI function 120Hz: Yes, 240Hz (double contours)
Brightness drop with BFI: 44%
The RM7L uses a 144 Hz VA panel, so right from the start it's well prepared for sports, games and other dynamic content. The high refresh rate also gives the motion interpolation more room to work, so it can generate additional frames. On the RM7L it performs well and, when set correctly, can noticeably improve motion smoothness without producing an excessive soap opera effect.
Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate):
Blur (BFI function enabled):
Blur (4K@144Hz ):
When it comes to motion blur it's also pretty good. The VA panel doesn't leave very noticeable trails behind moving objects, although motion isn't as crisp as on OLED TVs. You can further improve this with the BFI (black frame insertion) feature, which inserts black frames between consecutive frames. Motion then becomes noticeably sharper, but you should expect a drop in brightness and slight doubling of edges. Despite these drawbacks, it's worth experimenting with, especially when watching sport.
TCL RM7L - Console compatibility and gaming features
9.8/10
- ALLM:
Yes
- VRR:
Yes
- VRR range:
48 - 288Hz
- Dolby Vision Game Mode:
Yes
- Correct implementation of HGIG:
Yes
- 1080p@120Hz:
Yes
- 1440p@120Hz:
Yes
- 4K@120Hz:
Yes
- Game bar:
Yes
When it comes to gamer-focused features, there's almost nothing but praise for the RM7L. The TV supports ALLM, VRR, Dolby Vision Gaming and works correctly with HGiG, so it's hard to point to any major gaps in that area. In practice that means automatic switching to a low-latency mode, smoother motion with variable frame rates and accurate brightness reproduction in HDR games. There's also a handy Game Bar. From it you can quickly check the frame rate, VRR status, signal format and aspect ratio, and change key settings without leaving the game. TCL has added a few extra options too, such as an on-screen reticle and brightening of dark areas, which can be useful in some titles. The biggest downside comes from using the Pentonic 700 processor. Only two of the four HDMI ports support the full HDMI 2.1 standard. With a single console that won't be a big issue, but if you hook up two consoles and a PC you might run out of ports, especially since one of those ports may also be needed for eARC and a soundbar.
TCL RM7L - Input lag
9.9/10
Input lag in the RM7L is low. With a 120 Hz signal it falls below 10 ms, and at 60 Hz it's just under 15 ms. In practice the response to controls is immediate, and even the lower numbers seen on OLEDs don't give a noticeable advantage here. Dolby Vision Gaming also performs well. Input lag in that mode remains at the same level as in the other gaming modes, which is still not standard across all TVs.
| SDR | HDR | Dolby Vision |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p60: 14 ms | 2160p60: 14 ms | 2160p60 DV: 14 ms |
| 1080p120: 9 ms | 2160p120: 9 ms | 2160p120 DV: 9 ms |
| 2160p60: 14 ms | ||
| 2160p120: 9 ms |
TCL RM7L - Compatibility with PC
8.4/10
Chroma 444 (max. resolution and refresh rate): Yes
Font clarity: Good
Readability of dark text and shapes: Good
Input lag in PC mode (4K, max. refresh rate): 8ms
Matrix subpixel arrangement: RGB
Max refresh rate: 144Hz
G-Sync: Yes
Working with a PC on the RM7L is very good, especially if you treat it as a gaming display. The TV supports 4K at 144 Hz, and dropping to Full HD can push the refresh rate as high as 288 Hz. It also supports G-Sync and FreeSync, so there's little to complain about in terms of smoothness. Text handling is a bit weaker. At the maximum refresh rate, letters viewed up close are not perfectly sharp and you can notice a faint shadow behind them. Switching to 120 Hz improves the situation, though they're still not perfect. That said, it's hard to call this a serious flaw, since given the sizes the RM7L is available in, it's unlikely to be used on a desk as a monitor for document work.
TCL RM7L - Viewing angles
4.5/10
Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees: 81%
The viewing angles on the RM7L are pretty good and among the better ones you’ll find on TVs with a VA panel. Even when looking at the screen from the side, colours don’t shift as much as they do on many classic designs of this type. In that respect the RM7L can be compared to the better WHVA panels used in higher-end TCL series like the C8L and X11L. There is, however, one clear downside. As the viewing angle increases the picture brightness falls very quickly. Colours and the overall character of the image remain relatively intact, but the screen itself becomes noticeably darker. At very wide off-centre angles the difference is large enough that the picture can simply look too dark. For that reason the RM7L is best watched as close to the centre of the screen as possible.
TCL RM7L - Daytime performance
7.8/10
Panel finish: Glare
Reflection suppression: Poor
Black levels during daytime: Very Good
The RM7L should perform well in a bright living room, mainly thanks to its high SDR brightness. With everyday content the TV averages around 1000 nits, so it easily cuts through light entering the room and keeps the picture readable during the day. The weaker point is the glossy panel coating. Direct reflections are quite noticeable, and stronger light sources can also spread across the screen surface. For that reason it's best not to position the TV facing a window or a lamp. With the right placement, however, the RM7L will still be an excellent choice for a brightly sunlit room.
Panel brightness
TCL RM7L: 959 cd/m2
TCL RM7L - TV features
7.8/10
System: Google TV
System performance: Good
- HDMI inputs: 2 x HDMI 2.0, 2 x HDMI 2.1 48Gbps
- Outputs: Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI)
- Network Interfaces: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
- TV reception: DVB-T, DVB-T2, DVB-S, DVB-S2, DVB-C
Classic features:
Recording to USB (terrestrial TV): No - Recording programming: No
- Picture in Picture (PiP): No
- RF remote control (no need to aim): RF
- Backlit remote control: No
- Teletext: Yes
- Audio only mode: Yes
- Bluetooth headphones support: Yes
- Simultaneous Bluetooth headphones & TV audio: Yes
Smart features:
- AirPlay: Yes
- Screen mirroring (Windows Miracast): Yes
- Voice search: Yes
- Voice search in native language: Yes
- Ability to connect a keyboard and mouse: Yes
Smart TV features
The RM7L runs on Google TV, and that's great news, because it's one of the most polished systems on the market today. The store has practically everything: from the big streaming platforms to lesser-known apps, so you really don't need to worry about a lack of content. It also includes the classics, Chromecast and AirPlay, which let you easily cast or mirror your phone's screen to the big display. An interesting change is the replacement of the previous Google Assistant with Gemini. The new "artificial brain" better recognises natural speech and can answer questions far more sensibly. Everything runs smoothly and delivers exactly what we expect from a TV today.
Traditional TV
If someone prefers to flick through channels rather than stream, they'll be pleased to find a conventional remote. It has a full numeric keypad and plenty of physical buttons, so operating the TV is quite simple without having to dig through on-screen menus. As for the TV's core features, it's solid. The programme guide (EPG) and changing channels work flawlessly, though you won't find extra features like PiP or PVR.
Sound connection options
HDMI audio:
Other audio outputs:
- Toslink: Yes
Wireless audio:
- Bluetooth: Yes
Supported audio formats (external HDMI eARC audio):
- Dolby Digital Plus 7.1: Yes
- Dolby True HD 7.1: Yes
- Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC): Yes
- Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD: Yes
- DTS:X in DTS-HD MA: Yes
- DTS-HD Master Audio: Yes
Senior accessibility
- Numeric keyboard on TV: Yes
- Font size adjustment: Yes
- Audio description: Yes
TCL RM7L - Apps
9.6/10
TCL RM7L - Playing files from USB
9.4/10
| Maximum photo resolution: | Supported photo formats: |
|---|---|
| 4 Mpix | JPEG |
| 6 Mpix | HEIC |
| 8 Mpix | PNG |
| 10 Mpix | GIF |
| 12 Mpix | WebP |
| 16 Mpix | TIFF |
| 20 Mpix | BMP |
| 24 Mpix | SVG |
| 28 Mpix | |
| 32 Mpix |
The RM7L's file player performs very well. The TV handled most of the test material with no problems, whether movies, photos or music. Shortcomings do occur, of course, but they mainly affect less common formats. In practice, most people will be fine without installing an extra media player.
TCL RM7L - Sound
7.8/10
88dB
Maximum volume
Supported codecs (TV speakers)
Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
Dolby True HD 7.1
Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC)
Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD
DTS:X in DTS-HD MA
DTS-HD Master Audio
Unlike the higher C7L, C8L or X11L series, the RM7L doesn't include an audio system branded by Bang & Olufsen. TCL has gone with an Onkyo speaker setup here, supported by "Ultra Bass" technology. The difference is also visible in the build. Instead of metal grilles they used simpler plastic covers. Does that affect sound quality? In our view, not as much as you might think. The RM7L simply sounds good, with a slightly different character to the C7L. Dialogue is clean and clear, and the TV can easily fill a larger living room. The amount of bass is also a plus. For a TV in this class there's quite a bit of bass and it doesn't sound completely flat.
Our measurements back this up. Maximum loudness reaches around 88 dB, which is a very good result, and the frequency response remains relatively even. Only above about 7 to 8 kHz do we see a more noticeable drop in output, so the highest frequencies aren't as well reproduced. That said, for a TV of this class the RM7L offers a surprisingly pleasant sound and most users won't have cause to complain.
Sound Quality Test:
Acoustic Measurements
88dBC (Max)
75dBC
TCL RM7L - Panel details
Software version during testing: V8-0012T01-LF1V641.003171
Image processor: MT5896 2,5GB RAM
Panel uniformity and thermal imaging:
Backlight Type: Mini-LED RGB
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